The Rage Over Organic

Nowadays, you have people standing in the aisle of their stores looking at the ingredients of everything. 'Natural' and 'organic' are plastered all over the front of the fronts of skin care, makeup, hair products. This is understandable because medical professionals are saying that what we put on the skin can be more dangerous than eating or drinking them. This is because substances that we ingest are broken down and filtered by our stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys, whereas products that are absorbed by our skin go straight into the bloodstream. So since many of the ingredients in our skin products are getting more and more foreign to us, we might be at risk. Therefore, the safer thing to do is go the more natural route. (PRO!)

What is organic?
First and foremost, there is NO definition in the cosmetics universe for what "organic" means. If we were to be frank, the real definition of organic means, "was once living or contains carbon".
The FDA doesn't really regulate products that claim to use organic ingredients but if they claim to be 100% organic, they will follow the USDA's guidelines for labeling. So let's think about this...arsenic is organic and that's just one example! There are also plants that can be irritating to the skin when applied topically. So, organic isn't always the way to go. (CON!)

A lot of natural fruits that can be used in skincare contain antioxidants, however,  and are beneficial to the skin if used topically. Just like toxic substances are absorbed through the skin into the blood stream, so are the beneficial products placed onto the skin! Antioxidant's rock and fight free radicals which can be a cause for signs of aging. (PRO!) That being said, antioxidant rich ingredients are sometimes used as the preservative for helping defend the concoction from bacteria and degradation....but just like the fruits and veggies you get fresh at the market, these products will start to eventually spoil. This means that the shelf life is very short so you have to use them quickly. Short shelf life = spending money frequently on these products (CON!) But that's really up to you.

Are organic products just as good?
We have celebrities and celebutantes gush over their organic products and advocate for a "chemical free" regimen but they still go under the knife. So what's giving them their look, the organic skin care line or their face lift? An example would be sunscreen. The best form of sunscreen is going to be with physical sunscreen ingredients, which are inorganic. (CON!) As we've learned, physical is more effective in protecting us from UV and in return, keeping our skin safe from harm and aging symptoms. Here's what an article has to say,

"Sunscreen is a vital component to any skin care regimen, yet any product that's certified organic must contain at least 70 percent organically produced ingredients. That means any sunscreen labeled organic doesn't contain enough of the necessary active ingredients to protect you from the sun. Organic cosmetics manufacturers know this too; honest ones make a point of noting that their sunscreen products cannot be certified organic, but less scrupulous companies mix up a cocktail of organic oils and imply that the product is useful for sun protection while failing to tell consumers the SPF level the oil contains."

Find more from that article here .

How do we know what's best?
Beauty Brains is a really interesting resource that comprises of savvy scientists that dedicate their work to helping consumers steer clear of false advertising and not wasting money on expensive products that don't work. Beauty Brains in their Money Saving Cosmetics Reports has a term that they call "greenwashing" where advertisers will say that it's ingredients are natural or organic, however when you look at the ingredients listed, they are only can be created in a lab!If a product says "used with 100% organic ingredients" that means that some of the ingredients may be organic but that the product may still contain synthetic ingredients! GOTCHA! So be aware of this! Check your ingredients! Paula Begoun has an awesome website with an ingredient dictionary that's really extensive- www.paualschoice.com.

If you are environmentally conscious though, organic skin care lines are usually just as green as their consumers. So if you are adamant about helping reduce your carbon footprint and being a friend to mother earth then an organic product line may help you! Not only that but sometimes they are actually linked with organizations that help with their community or for those in need. (definitely a PRO!)

Another wonderful resource that is my new found favorite is FutureDerm.com, again, another site dedicated to what's REALLY going on with your skin and the products you're using! (Here's their article)

Bottom line, you shouldn't think that the cosmetics industry is out to get you but it's still good to be aware. While organic ingredients and products are good for you, sometimes they aren't as results driven as ingredients manufactured or recreated in labs. You don't have to be all or nothing but if you are then make sure you know your sources

Need more nerdy research? Check out Kimberly Snyder, one of my favorite bloggers and nutritionist! She's awesome, love her.
NOW!

Want a list of organic skin care lines? Here is the USDA website that has organic skin care companies information. Below is a list of USDA Certified Organic Skincare companies;

• Badger Balm www.badgerbalm.com
• Beeceuticals Organics www.beeceuticals.com
• Dr. Bronner www.drbronner.com
• Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics www.earthmamaangelbaby.com
• Intelligent Nutrients www.intelligentnutrients.com 
• Lotus Cosmetics USA www.LotusCosmeticsUSA.com
• Motherlove Herbal Company www.motherlove.com
• Planet Organics www.planetorganics.com
• Trillium organics

It's Hot Outside and You Might Be Cool But...

Now that it's summer, our clients are outside more on vacation, with the kids, and are attending more activities outside. Because of this shift of environment, one of the concerns is how to avoid those pesky sunburns or how to get the best bronze look. Sunscreens are now flying off the shelves and your esthetician and other medical professionals are shaking their heads...if you only knew how much you needed these products all the time and not just in the summer! The Environmental Protection Agency  claims that 90% of signs of aging are caused by the UV rays emitted by the sun. So we all are being told about melanomas and the possibilities of skin cancer but not only that, the rays can make you look OLDER?! If cancer didn't scare some people, premature lines and wrinkles might.So what's going on the in market that people are buying sunscreen more now than ever, yet we are having more cases reported health challenges (check out the EPA link for more) caused by overexposure to the sun?

UVA & UVB Rays

This is a pretty great illustration of what's going on with the skin and UV. There are three types of rays that the sun emits- UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA and UVB are the ones that affect us the most- UVC (Ultraviolet COOKING rays) are blocked by our ozone. This is pretty good for us considering we would be burned to a crisp, hence the "cooking". Now UVA, stands for Ultraviolet Aging rays...which you guessed it, causes us to age.  UVB stands for Ultraviolet Burning rays and can be associated with sunburns. The table shows a great view of which rays affect the areas of our skin. So UVB is the strongest because it has a shorter wavelength and works more superficially on the skin. UVA rays are longer wavelengths, penetrate deeper, but take longer to cause damage. Don't make the mistake by thinking that it doesn't do damage since you can't visibly see it...it's there..breaking down your collagen and elastin. GASP! Sunscreen can be used to help protect from both rays, it's just finding the right kind and ingredients.

 New FDA Sunscreen Regulations

With more and more melanoma cases and the sunscreen business is still so profitable, what's the problem? Apparently the marketing and packaging of these products have been misleading consumers and not giving clear instruction.
The changes that have been made are:

• final regulations that establish standards for testing the effectiveness of sunscreen products and require labeling that accurately reflects test results
• a proposed regulation that would limit the maximum SPF value on sunscreen labeling to “SPF 50+”
• a data request for safety and effectiveness information for sunscreen products formulated in certain dosage forms (e.g., sprays)
• a draft guidance for sunscreen manufacturers on how to test and label their products in light of these new measures

For more information from the FDA click here. 

To summarize, the FDA has made it so that a product that states that no matter what the SPF (sun protection factor) is that it has to be reapplied every two hours. It's also recognizing that any SPF over 50 is ineffective. They are also requiring that sunscreens have better testing before being released to the public. Any products that say "sunblock" is to be relabeled because these products do not block UV rays. Also,"water proof" or "sweat proof"  advertising no longer to be used because all sunscreens can be removed with water and/or sweat. Look for a BROAD SPECTRUM label, this signifies that it has gone through the adequate testing for protection from both UVA and UVB rays. 

It's recommended to use at least a shot glass full for the entire body.

Sunscreen Checklist

So are you choosing the correct products and protecting yourself?

• Is your sunscreen a broad-spectrum sunscreen?
• Are you using a minimum of SPF 15 on your face? 
• Are you reapplying every 2 hours?
• If your sensitive, are you using a physical sunscreen?
• If you are using a chemical sunscreen, are you applying at least 20-30 minutes before going out into the sun?
• Are you using a lotion cream? (Spray sunscreens have been the least effective and are going through more testing)
• Does your sunscreen not have any fragrances and perfumes? (these can actually cause pigmentation problems!)
• Are you wearing sunscreen every day?

If you can answer these questions and can reply with a "yes" then you are on your way to better health and beautiful skin!

Interested in more? Try another article here.